UNIT 4
Biodiversity and Conservation
Biodiversity: Bio = Diversity = Variety
The term Bio-Diversity was first coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth. It includes diversity of ecosystems, species and genes, and the ecological processes that support them. Everything that lives in an ecosystem is part of the web of life, including humans. Each species of vegetation and each creature has a place on the earth and plays a vital role in the circle of life. Plant, animal, and insect species interact and depend upon one another for what each offers, such as food, shelter, oxygen, and soil enrichment. Maintaining a wide diversity of species in each ecosystem is necessary to preserve the web of life that sustains all living things.
There are three levels of Diversity
- Species diversity
- Genetic diversity
- Ecosystem or Habitat diversity
Species diversity: The species diversity peaks in the tropical forest and coral reefs. India has around 2,00,000 species of the total species described.It is defines as variety of different species of living forms in a given area.
Genetic diversity: These variations help the individuals to have a variant that help it to be suite for the new environment. The more genetic diversity in a population, the more chances in variations.
Ecosystem or Habitat diversity: Ecosystem is the structural and functional unit of the biosphere. Ecosystem diversity is defined as „the aggregation of various habitats, community types and abiotic environment in a given area‟. India has one of the richest ecosystem diversities, ranging from deserts, plains, hills, mangroves, rainforests to cold Himalayas. Out of the 18 hot spots of biodiversity recognized in the world, India has two of them, Eastern Himalaya and The Western Ghats. Eastern Himalayas is recognized as the “Cradle of Speciation” due to rich diversity of primitive flowering plants.
Environmental economics (or ecological economics) provides methods of assigning economic values to species, communities and ecosystem. These values include the harvest (or market place) value of resources, the value provided by un-harvested resources in their natural habitat, and the future value of resources. For example, the Asian wild guar could be valued for the meat could be harvested from its current populations, its value for eco-tourism, or its future potential in cattle breeding.
The values can be divided as:
- Direct values
Direct values, also known as use values and commodity values, are assigned to the products harvested by people. Direct values can be readily estimated by observing the activities of representative groups of people, by monitoring collection points for normal products and by examining the export/ import statistics. These values can be further sub-divided as:
a) Consumptive use value
It can be assigned to goods such as fuel wood and goods that are consumed locally and do not figure in national and international market
b) Productive use value
It is assigned to products that are derived from the wild and sold in commercial markets, both national as well as international markets.
2. Indirect values
Indirect values are assigned to benefits provided by biodiversity that do not involve harvesting or destroying the natural resource. Such benefits include ecological benefits such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, waste disposal, air and water purification, education, recreation, future options for human beings, etc. Indirect value can be further sub-divided as:
a) Non-consumptive use value
It is assigned to benefits such as soil formation/ protection, climate regulation, waste disposal, water and air purification, eco-tourism, medical research, etc.
b) Aesthetic, social and cultural value
The diversity of life on Earth brings us many aesthetic and cultural benefits. It adds to the quality of life, providing some of the most beautiful and appealing aspects of our existence.
Biodiversity is an important quality of landscape beauty. Many species of birds, large land mammals, sea animals and flowering plants are appreciated for their beauty. Millions of people enjoy hiking, camping, picnics, fishing, wildlife watching, and other recreational activities based on nature. These activities provide invigorating physical exercise and allow us to practice pioneer living skills. Contact with nature can also be psychologically and emotionally restorative. In many cultures, nature carries spiritual connotations, and a particular plant or animal species or landscape may be inextricably linked to a sense of identity and meaning.
Today we continue to imbue certain animals and plants with cultural significance; for instance, in India tiger and peacock, which are endangered, are especially valued because they have been adopted as national animal and bird respectively.
c) Option value
The option value of a species is its potential to provide our economic benefit to human society in the near future. For instance, there are several plant species which are edible and superior than those which are currently in use; e.g. Katemfe, a plant found in W. Africa, produces proteins that are 1,600 times sweeter than sucrose.
d) Existence value
It is assigned to protect wildlife. Since, for many people, the value of wildlife goes beyond the opportunity to photograph or even see a particular species. They argue that ‘existence value’, based on simply knowing that a species exist, is a sufficient reason to protect and preserve it. This right to exists was also stated in the U.N. General Assembly World Charter for Nature, 1982.
e) Ethical value
Moral justification for conservation of biodiversity is based on the belief that species have a moral right to exist, independent of our need for them. Consequently, the argument follows that in our role as the most intelligent species on Earth we have a responsibility to try as much as possible for the continuance of all forms of life.
Ethical values are deep rooted within human culture, a religion and society, but, those who look on cost benefit analysis, they overlook these ethical values. International boycotts of furs, teak and ivory are the good examples of moral justification.
Consumptive use, productive use
Various uses of biodiversity regarding direct and indirect values are as follows:
- Timber
Wood is one of few commodities used and traded worldwide that is mainly harvested from wild sources. It is also one of the economically most important commodities in national and international trade. Wood export constitutes a significant part of the export earnings of many tropical developing countries. Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia are among the major exporters of hardwoods, including prized timbers such as teak and mahogany, produced mainly from natural forests.
2. Fishery
Fish and other fishery products make up another class of commodities of great economic importance in international trade that are harvested mainly from wild sources. These resources are also of crucial importance to global food security. Annual landings of aquatic resources have increased nearly five-times in the past four decades; and more than 80% was harvested from marine capture fisheries, the remainder was from inland fisheries and from aquaculture, both inland and marine. Though there are over 22,000 species of fish, but just ten individual marine fish species make up one-third of marine capture landings. The most important are the herrings, sardines and anchovies group.
3. Food
Food plants exemplify the most fundamental values of biodiversity. Presently, around 200 species have been domesticated as food plants. Out of these about 15 to 20 are of major international economic importance.
4. Medicinal value
Living organisms provide us with many useful drugs and medicines. Digitalis, an important drug in the treatment of certain heart ailments, comes from a small flowering plant – purple foxglove; Penicillin is a derivative of fungus; and so on. The UNDP estimates the value of pharmaceutical products derived from Third World plants, animals and microbes to be more than $30 billion per year.
There are numerous organisms that may produce useful medical compounds that are as yet unknown and untested. For instance coral reefs offer a particularly promising use in pharmaceutical drugs, because many coral reef species produce toxins to defend themselves. Many plant species native to India such as Neem, Tulsi, etc. too have potential medicinal applications.
5. Genetic value
Biological diversity is a valuable genetic resource. Most of the hybrid varieties of crops under cultivation have been developed by incorporating useful genes from different species of plants to produce better quality of the product with longer self-life or having better resistance to pests. Though such breeding techniques are unlimited in scope; but, for getting better strains in future, it is essential to build-up a gene-pool because the quality, yield, and resistance to pests, disease and adverse climatic conditions mostly depend on genetic factors and combination of genes which may be different in different strains/ varieties of species. There are hundreds of examples which illustrate how genetic modification helped in improved quality of the product. A few of them are mentioned as under:
The genes from a wild variety of melon grown in U.P. Helped in imparting resistance to powdery mildew in musk-melons grown in California (USA).
The genes from the Kans grass (Saccharum Spontaneium) grown in Indonesia helped in imparting resistance to red rot disease of sugarcane.
A wild variety of rice from U.P. Saved millions of hectares of paddy crop from Grossy-Stunt virus.
6. Tourism
Tourism industry is mainly based on observation of wildlife within protected areas and is a major source of income for many developing countries. Tourism is the major source of foreign income for Kenya. Eco-tourism is now getting more attention and it includes interest in the all species of plants and animals, and forests.
7. Poor and indigenous people
Poor and indigenous people of under-developed countries are dependent on diversity in forests and wildlife for food, shelter, tools, and materials for clothing and medicines. Further reduction in the biodiversity can further increase the poverty of these poor people.
8. Pollution control
Plants and certain micro-organisms in particular can remove toxic substances from the air, water and soil. Since the different species have different characteristics and capabilities, therefore, a diversity of species can provide wide range of pollution control. For example, toxins like carbon-di-oxide and Sulphur-di-oxide are removed by vegetation; carbon-monoxide is controlled by soil fungi and bacteria.
Biodiversity patterns occur within species, communities, habitats, regions, ecosystems, biomes and the entire Earth. The within-species diversity is studied as genetic diversity and refers to the total number of characteristics in the genetic composition of a species. A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeography region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is threatened with destruction. An area is designated as a hotspot when it contains at least 0.5% of plant species as endemic. There are 25 such hotspots of biodiversity on a global level, out of which two are present in India These are: Indo-Burma (earlier The Eastern Himalayas) and The western Ghats & SriLanka. These hotspots covering less than2% of the world’s land area are found to have about 50% of the terrestrial biodiversity.
Biodiversity has three aspects, viz. Genetics, species and ecosystem. India is recognized to be uniquely rich in all these three aspects. The country has a rich heritage of biodiversity, encompassing a wide spectrum of habitats from tropical rainforests to alpine vegetation, and from temperate forests to coastal wetlands. Almost all the biogeographical regions of the world are represented here in India. With a mere 2.4% of the total land area of the world, the known biodiversity of India contributes 8.22% of the known global biodiversity. India is one of the twelve mega-diversity nations of the world accounting for 7.31% of the global faunal and 10.88% of the global floral total species. Currently available data place India in the tenth position in the world and fourth in the Asia in plant diversity. In terms of number of mammalian species, the country ranks tenth in the world; and in terms of endemic species of higher vertebrates, it ranks eleventh. In terms of number of species contributed to agriculture and animal husbandry, it ranks seventh in the world.
Some of the salient features of India’s biodiversity are as under:
- India has two major realms called the Palaearctic and the Indo Malayan; and three biomes, namely the tropical humid forests, the tropical dry deciduous forests and the warm desert/ semi-deserts.
- India has ten bio geographic regions, namely the Trans-Himalayan, the Himalayan, the Indian desert, the semi-arid zone, the Western Ghats, the Deccan Peninsula, the Genetic plain, North-East India, the Islands, and the coasts.
- India is one of the 12 mega-diversity nations of the world.
- India is one of the 12 centers of origin of cultivated plants.
- There are two hotspots that extend into India. There are the Western Ghats/ Sri Lanka and the Indo-Burma region (covering the Eastern Himalayas). Further these hotspots are included amongst the top eight most important or hottest hotspots.
- India has 26 recognized endemic centers that are home to nearly a third of all the flowering plants (angiosperms) identified and described to date.
- India has six Ramsar Wetlands. They are –
- Chilika Lake, Harike Lake, Loktak Lake, Keoladeo National Park, Wular Lake and Sambhar Lake.
- India has 5 world heritage sites namely, Kaziranga National Park, Keolades Ghana National Park, Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Nanda Devi National Park and Sundarban National Park.
- India has twelve biosphere reserves, namely Nilgiri, Nanda Devi, Nokrerk, Manas, Sunderbans, Gulf or Mannar, Great Nicobar, Similpal, Dibru-Saikhowa, Dehang Debang, Pachmarchi and Kanchanjanga.
- Further, amongst the protected areas, there are 88 national parks and 490 sanctuaries in India covering an area of 1.53 lakh sq.km.
- The most remarkable places/ areas on earth are also the most threatened ones, and many of them have been reduced to less than 10 percent of their original vegetation. These places/ areas are called hotspots of biodiversity for preservation. Hotspots are the main areas of focus for biodiversity conservation. These are the areas that are extremely rich in biodiversity, have high level of endemism, and are under constant threat of species extinctions and habit destruction.
- Recently, Norman Myers and a team of scientists have brought out updated lists of 25 hotspots (Myers et. Al. 2000). These identified hotspots of biodiversity are
- Caribbean, California Floristic Province and Mesoamereca in North and Central America; Tropical Andes, Choco-Darien-Western Ecuador, Atlantic Forest, Brazilian Cerrado and Central Chile in South America; Caucasus and Mediterranean Basin in Europe and Central Asia; Madgascar and Indian Ocean Islands, Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests, Guinean Forests of West Africa, Cape Floristic Region and Succulent Karoo in Africa; Mountains of Southwest China, Indo-Burma and Western Ghats of India in Mainland Asia; and Philippines, Sundaland, Wallacea, Southwest Australia, Newzeland, New Calenonia and Pollynesia and Micronesia in Asia Pacific region..
- The two hotspots of biodiversity that extend into India.
The two hotspots that extend into India are the:
1. Indo-Burma and Western Ghat
2. Sri Lanka.
- Indo-Burma
The Indo-Burma hotspot covers about 2 million square kilometres of tropical Asia east of the Indian subcontinent. The hotspot includes all of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, and nearly the entire areas of Thailand, Myanmar and Bhutan, as well as part of Nepal, far eastern India and extreme southern China. In addition, it covers several offshore Islands including Mainan Islands in the South China Sea, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean. Today, it is estimated that about 1,00,000 square kilometres or 5% of the original extent of the habitat is in pristine condition.
The entire hotspot was originally covered with broad-leaf forests; but, today, only fragments remain. In these fragments, a wide variety of ecosystems is represented including deciduous, wet evergreen dry evergreen and montane forests. Also, there are patches of shrublands, woodlands and scattered heath forests. The hotspot has the world’s highest diversity of freshwater turtle species. Moreover, the hotspot is still revealing its biological treasures, for example, three large mammal species have been discovered in recent years.
2. Western ghats and Sri Lanka
The hotspot encompasses the montane forests in the south-western parts of India and on the neighbouring Island of Sri Lanka. Although the two forest blocks are separated from each other by about 400 kilometres of land and water, yet they are similar enough that they can be grouped into a single hotspot. Though the entire extent of the hotspot was originally about 1,82,500 square kilometres; but, due to tremendous population pressure, now only 12,445 square kilometres or 6.8% is in pristine condition.
The Western Ghat Mountains stretch from India’s southern tip of Gujarat in the North, and run parallel to the country’s western coast. They cover an area of about 1,60,000 square kilometres. The western slopes of the mountains receive heavy annual rainfall, whereas the eastern slopes are drier. The wet tropical south-western zone of Sri Lanka is remarkably similar to the Western Ghats because of the repeated appearance and disappearance of a land bridge between them over many thousands of years.
The predominant vegetation of the entire hotspot includes deciduous and tropical rain forests, montane forests and grasslands, as well as scrup forests in lower, drier areas. The hotspot is home to a diverse and endemic assemblage of plants, reptiles and amphibians. The important populations include Asian elephants, Indian tigers and the endangered lion-tailed macaque.
Human actions have caused extinctions (elimination of species) over a long time, not just in recent decades. The earliest humans probably caused extinctions through hunting; with the invention of fire, humans began to change habitats over large areas; with the development of agriculture and the rise of civilization, rapid deforestation and other habitat changes took place; as new areas were explored, the introduction of exotic species became an important cause of extinction; later, in the twentieth century, with the introduction of industrial chemicals and emissions, pesticides, etc. into the environment, pollution has become an increasingly significant cause of extinction.
Habitat loss
Habitat loss: Habitat loss & degradation are major causes of species extinction, affecting 89% of all threatened birds, 83% of mammals & 91% of all threatened plants assessed globally. The main causes of habitat are agriculture activities, Mining, development of human settlement, industry etc.
Man-wildlife conflicts
Man –wildlife conflicts: The conflict between man and wildlife started with the evolution of man, but intensity increased due to the activities of modern man. Due to the lack of stable food and disruption of movement, wild animals came out of forest area and attack the agricultural field and humans and in turn got killed by the humans.
Endangered species of India: When the number of species has been reduced to a critical level . Unless it is protected and conserved, it is in immediate danger of extinction. Unless it is protected and conserved, it is in immediate danger of extinction- 150 birds species, 100 mammals species ,450 plant species. India’s biodiversity is threatened due to habitat destruction, degradation and over exploitation of resources.
Endemic Species: Species found only in particular region. In India 47,000 species and 7000 plants are endemic. 62% of our endemic species are found in Himalayas and Western Ghats
1. Fauna – Animals present in a particular region 1. 81,000 species of animals
2. Flora – Plants present in a particular region
In-situ conservation: It simply means conservation of species in its natural ecosystem or even in manmade ecosystems. This strategy emphasizes protection of total ecosystem through a network of “protected area”. Protected Areas: an area of land and / or sea specially dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity and managed through legal effective means. There are different categories of protected areas which are managed with different objectives. These include; Biosphere reserves, National parks, Wild Life Sanctuaries etc.
Ex-situ conservation: It is defined as “the conservation of component of biological diversity (Sample of genetic diversity, particularly of endangered species) outside their natural habitats”. It involves maintenance and breeding of endangered plant and animal species under partially or wholly controlled conditions. E.g. Zoos, Botanical Gardens, Aquaria, Nurseries, DNA bank, Seed bank, Gene bank etc.
Ethical value
Moral justification for conservation of biodiversity is based on the belief that species have a moral right to exist, independent of our need for them. Consequently, the argument follows that in our role as the most intelligent species on Earth we have a responsibility to try as much as possible for the continuance of all forms of life.
Ethical values are deep rooted within human culture, a religion and society, but, those who look on cost benefit analysis, they overlook these ethical values. International boycotts of furs, teak and ivory are the good examples of moral justification.
Social Value:
The social value of biodiversity includes aesthetic, recreational, cultural and spiritual values. To this can be added health benefits resulting from recreational and other activities. While traditional societies which had a small population and required less resources had preserved their biodiversity as a life supporting resource, modern man has rapidly depleted it even to the extent of leading to the irrecoverable loss due to extinction of several species.
Thus apart from the local use or sale of products of biodiversity there is the social aspect in which more and more resources are used by affluent societies. The biodiversity has to a great extent been preserved by traditional societies that valued it as a resource and appreciated that its depletion would be a great loss to their society.
Aesthetic Value:
The beauty of our planet is because of biodiversity, which otherwise would have resembled other barren planets dotted around the universe. Biological diversity adds to the quality of life and provides some of the most beautiful aspects of our existence. Biodiversity is responsible for the beauty of a landscape.
People go far off places to enjoy the natural surroundings and wildlife. This type of tourism is referred to as eco-tourism, which has now become a major source of income in many countries. In many societies, the diversity of flora and fauna has become a part of the traditions and culture of the region and has added to the aesthetic values of the place.
Economic Value:
The economic potential of biodiversity is immense in terms of food, fodder, medicinal, ethical and social values. Biodiversity forms the major resource for different industries, which govern the world economy.
Ecological value
Every species plays a unique role in the ecosystem. Through this role it maintains the ecological balance. Thus, the ecosystems don't get disrupted. So, even if we do not use a plant or animal for making products in our industries, by virtue of its very existence in the wild it provides us with many important services. These services maintain ecological balance and the ecosystem.
Informative value
Biodiversity has a fundamental value to humans because we are so dependent on it for our cultural, economic, and environmental well-being. Some argue that it is our moral responsibility to preserve the Earth’s incredible diversity for the next generation. Others simply like knowing that nature’s great diversity exists and that the opportunity to utilize it later, if need be, is secure.
References :
- Textbook Of Environmental Science By Deeksha Dave And E.Sai Baba Reddy, Cengage Publications.
- Text Book Of Environmental Sciences And Technology By M.Anji Reddy, BS Publication.
- Comprehensive Environmental Studies By J.P.Sharma, Laxmi Publications.
